News

Irish Prison-Break Drama, MAZE, Released This Friday, 22 September

Inspired by the true events of the infamous 1983 breakout of 38 IRA prisoners from HMP MAZE high-security prison, Stephen Burke’s MAZE is released in Irish cinemas this Friday, 22 September. Starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, better known as Love/Hate’s Nidge, and Barry Ward, recently seen in the 1916 RTE drama Rebellion and The Truth Commissioner, the film details the break-out which was to become the biggest prison escape in Europe since World War II.

As Larry Marley (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), the chief architect of the escape, schemes his way towards pulling off this feat, he comes into contact with prison warder, Gordon Close (Barry Ward). Initially Larry and Gordon are confirmed enemies, born on opposite sides of Northern Ireland’s political divide, but when Larry realises that Gordon may be unwittingly useful for his escape plan, a slow seduction begins. Larry intends to use and manipulate Gordon in order to get closer to his goal but what follows is a tense and intriguing drama, in which an unlikely relationship is forged between two enemies that will have far-reaching consequences for both of them.

Following its world premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh, the film received rave reviews from the critics with the RTÉ hailing it as “gritty, taut and compelling” and Screen Daily hailing as both “educational” and “entertaining” and paying particular homage to Tom Vaughan-Lawlor’s performance.

MAZE, which filmed in the recently decommissioned Cork Prison last year, is written and directed by Stephen Burke and produced by Jane Doolan of Mammoth Films and Brendan J. Byrne of Cyprus Avenue Films. An Irish-Swedish co-production, MAZE has production funding from the Irish Film Board, Film Vast, RTÉ and the BAI.